Wednesday 26 June 2013

Canada Day Party Guide- Ideas & Recipes

We love Canada Day at our house. We usually have a BBQ with friends and then enjoy the fireworks display put on by our city. When I was in my early twenties, I lived in Ottawa for a summer and had such a fun time celebrating Canada Day...the streets were filled with revelers and happy smiles, and I have always remembered that feeling of how lucky we are to live in this amazing country.

I have rounded up a whole lot of ideas from the Echoes of Laughter archives and a few other places to share and I hope that you find something here that inspires you! CLICK on the links to take you to the recipes!
 Perfect Picnic Sandwich for a Concert In the Park or Beach...made the day before!

Canada Day Party Table from The Marilyn Denis Show
And for more ideas, don`t forget to visit my Canada Day board on Pinterest .

Happy Canada Day & 4th of July from our family to yours!



This post is linked to:
I Gotta Create, Fun in the Sun, The Frugal Girls, Craftberry Bush, Somewhat Simple, Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons,  Tatertots and Jello, Tidy Mom,

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Strawberry Shortcake In A Mug

Nothing says summer like berry desserts, and this Strawberry Shortcake is no exception.....except that it is....a sweet little dessert for  just one!

This recipe makes a delicious, gooey white cake with very basic ingredients. And when you add some strawberries and a little whipped cream...it turns into a wonderful strawberry shortcake. Not only a dessert for one, this is a wonderful little cake that kids can have fun making themselves. They can help measure ingredients and stir the mix with a spoon until smooth. Kids love to stir!  So let's get to the recipe, shall we?

White Cake In A Mug
{Serves 1}

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon white flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
dash of vanilla
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons milk

Directions:
1. To a mug, add flour, sugar, vanilla, oil and milk. Stir until smooth as shown.
 2. Cook cake in mug in microwave for 1 minute. {My microwave is 800 watts. If your microwave has higher wattage, cook for 50 seconds or adjust accordingly.}
 After 1 minute in the microwave, there will be a nice tender and gooey cake. Let cool.
Once cake is cool, add some sliced strawberries and whipped cream. It will taste delicious!
It has been so fun being here with you and sharing this treat! I hope you enjoy it! Have a lovely week!

If you would like a recipe for a chocolate cake in a mug for one, visit HERE.
For more delicious strawberry recipes, check out Strawberry Shortcake Cookies HERE.
Cool & delicious Strawberry Dessert Soup HERE.
Fabulous Strawberry Butter HERE.
Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad HERE.
Strawberry Mini Pies & Basil Whipped Cream HERE.

And to see more FUN Summer ideas, visit these Pinterest boards:



This post is linked to :
Lil Luna, Gingersnap Crafts, Savvy Southern Style, The Inspiration Exchange, The DIY Dreamer, The 36th Avenue,  I Gotta Create, The Frugal Girl, Craftberry Bush, Somewhat Simple, Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons,  Tatertots and Jello, Tidy Mom, I Heart Naptime, Cooking With Ruthie,

Monday 24 June 2013

Feeding Hungry Teens With The New Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight Cereal

 I have teens in my house and it seems that they are always hungry. Before meals, after meals, in-between meals....it just doesn't matter. My boy, in particular, seems to be eating us out of house and house lately, and at the rate that he has grown over the last year....I can somewhat understand why.  He has a sports activity almost every evening,, and he comes home famished....like he hasn't eaten all day. We try to encourage healthy eating here, so I often suggest that he eat fruit or cereal when he arrives home. {He is not a fan of veggies at the best of times.}

My boy likes his cereal and he likes it crunchy! And as you can see, a nice plastic container that acts as a 'super size' bowl and holds A LOT of cereal is his bowl of choice...and the new Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight Cereal filled the bowl and disappeared in no time. He loves this new cereal and as soon as I opened it, he was right behind me with his super-size bowl & spoon!
As a mom, I don't mind him eating a tasty & delicious cereal like Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight as a breakfast or snack, and here's why:
  • Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight Cereal offers 40% of your daily recommended intake of fibre alone in a 1 cup serving.
  • Has only 12 grams of sugar per serving.
  • Offers 50% of daily recommended intake of Iron.
  • 5 g of Protein in 1 serving.
  • It's fast and easy for a hungry teen.
  • Is a much healthier option than drive-thru food, or other junk food type snacks.
And besides all that, he loves it!
The kind folks at General Mills don't want you to miss out on the deliciousness of this NEW cereal and are offering a COUPON to enjoy a box of Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight. To get the coupon,  visit the
Life Made Delicious Facebook Page by June 25 to receive a coupon for a FREE box, redeemable on July 16! Hurry over to get yours whiles supplies last! 


{Disclosure – I am participating in the Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight Cereal blogger campaign by Mom Central Canada on behalf of General Mills. I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.}

Saturday 22 June 2013

Maple Syrup Bread Pudding In A Jar For Canada Day

Delicious!
That is how I would describe this simple dessert in a jar.
And it is perfect for Canada Day with it's sweet maple syrup aroma and taste and served in jars!
You could even make these a day or two before serving if you tuck them into the fridge!

Anything which features such 'Canadiana' as maple syrup is perfect for Canada Day, don't you think?
This recipe doesn't take a lot of time to put together...it can easily be done in less than 1 hour.

This recipe comes from the new book, "150 Best Desserts In  A Jar", which has so many yummy treats  that it was not easy to choose which dessert to make! And in the book, this dessert is called "Brown Sugar Bread Pudding" but it has such an overwhelming maple syrup note, our family started calling it 'maple syrup pudding'...hence the name in the title.

Brown Sugar Bread Pudding

Pudding
2 cups half and half cream {10% cream)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups bread cubes

Sauce
3 tbsp. salted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup confectioner's (icing) sugar
1/2 cup whisky (optional)
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream (35% cream)

Directions:
1. Pudding. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat cream for 4 minutes. Add butter, stirring until melted. Set aside.
2. In large bowl, using electric mixer at medium speed, beat brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla for 2 mintues. Reduce speed to low and mix in cream & butter mixture.
3. Place bread cubes in in prepared jars, dividing equally. Pour batter over top, filling jars to two thirds. Place jars in baking pan, and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the jars. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until pudding is set.
4. Sauce. While puddings are baking, melt butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat. Add maple syrup, confectioner's sugar and whisky, stirring until incorporated. Add cream and whisk until smooth.
5. Turn off oven. Remove jars from oven and pan. Add sauce, dividing equally. Return jars to oven, placing directly on rack and leaving the door open. Let stand for 15 mintues in oven before serving. Serve warm.
Bread pudding is best served warm, but can be kept refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.
* I served ours cold from the fridge, but I heated the maple syrup to serve over it...it was delicious.
Also, if serving from the oven, let cool for a period because the jars are too hot to hold in your hands.

There you go! Something crazy good for Canada Day!
And here is a sheet you can print off to make tags for anything for Canada Day!
And if you would like to see more Canada Day ideas, check out my board on Pinterest HERE.


This post is linked to:
Becoming Martha, Funky Junk Interiors, It's Overflowing, What\s Cooking With Ruthie, I Heart Naptime, Craft-O-Maniac, Aalderberry Hill, Stone Gable, Uncommon Designs Online,The Sunday Showcase, I Should Be Mopping The Flour,  SkipTo My Lou, Time To Sparkle, Home Stories A to Z, Today's Creative Blog, Chef-In-Training, Lil Luna, Gingersnap Crafts, Savvy Southern Style, The Inspiration Exchange, The DIY Dreamer,  The 36th Avenue, I Gotta Create, The Frugal Girls, Craftberry Bush, Somewhat , Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons, Tatertots and Jello, Tidy Mom,
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